Smackdown on MyNetwork TV
Taped on 6/23/09 in Milwaukee, Wisc.

[Q1]The opening video aired, followed by the pyro, and Jim Ross and Todd Grisham welcomed us to Smackdown. They hyped the cage match…Mr. McMahon was introduced and he came to the ring. McMahon smelled the air and asked what stinks. He said it was the smell of fear because the fans were afraid of him. They booed and started a “You Suck” chant. Vince said it was exactly what he smelled, these people were afraid of their bosses and of losing their jobs.

He said if the vast majority of them were graded on a fair evaluation system, they would be fired. He said the only way to fire someone was the way he did it on Raw. A video showed Vince firing Trump on Raw. It did not show the slap. He called out Teddy Long and Teddy came to the ring. Teddy stuck his hand out and said, “Welcome to Smackdown.” McMahon told him to put his hand in his pocket and wipe the smile off his face.

McMahon asked him how he was going to entertain the fans and Vince this week. He said, “And PLAYA, this better be good.” Long said he was excited. Vince said good, but don’t be nervous. Teddy said it would be Edge and Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio and Jeff Hardy. Vince said that wasn’t good enough. Teddy said it was going to be in a cage. Vince said it still wasn’t good enough. Teddy said CM Punk would be the special guest referee. Vince said instead of firing Long on the spot, he was going to do what all of the people’s bosses had done before, he was putting him on probation…R-Truth made his ring entrance. He tried to get Vince to say, “What’s up,” but he just looked at Truth…[C]

Shore’s Slant: The over/under on Vince pissing me off was three. Dot Net Member gts1303 said over. Looks like he was on par. That made zero sense. Please don’t tell me Raw has been purposefully bad to setup this storyline. Long put on a great match and still got put on probation? Weak.

Back from commercial, Shelton Benjamin’s music hit and he came out with a mic. He asked if they were really going to do this again. He said fine, but he wanted to tell the truth. He said all the people like Truth who talk about growing up tough and getting street education, it was nothing more than an excuse for their underachieving. Benjamin said people like him got an education. He said people like Truth had exactly what Truth said in his report, “Skippin and Jumpin.”

[Q2]He said since English wasn’t taught on the street, here was a lesson. He said, “I don’t be the Gold Standard, I am the Gold Standard. Just so you understand this, I’ll put it in your language. After I be beating you tonight, you’ll be skipping and jumping out of this arena, out of the WWE, and out of my life.” Truth looked pissed…

2. R-Truth defeated Shelton Benjamin 11:29. Truth started out in charge. He be beating on Benjamin. Benjamin escaped to the floor and Truth went out and be beating on him some more. He rolled Benjamin back in the ring and did his split duck into a heel hick. He ran at Benjamin who scooped him up into a Samoan drop. Benjamin kicked Truth to the floor where he recovered into the break…[C]

Back at 6:00, Benjamin had a chin lock on Truth. Truth punched out and charged at Benjamin who hit a back drop for two. Benjamin strong whipped Truth to the corner and covered for two. He stretched Truth over his knee in a backbreaker and then locked in a waist lock. Truth hit a jaw breaker to break, but Benjamin hit a back breaker for two. Benjamin tried for a suplex, but Truth slipped over the back and hit a side Russian leg sweep for two.

Truth hit a powerslam for two. Benjamin kicked Truth when he went for a back drop. Benjamin tried for a power bomb, but Truth slipped out. He caught Benjamin’s kick and spun him around. Truth ducked the heel kick and hit his corkscrew elbow for the win. Post match, Truth celebrated up the ramp…Backstage, Vince and Teddy walked up on Rey and punked him for being small. He said after The Bash, we were all going to see what Rey looked like. Rey said something in Spanish (which I am told by my good friend Joe was basically, “You are a bad boss and have no heart.”) and walked off. Vince turned on Teddy and asked him what Rey said. Teddy shrugged…The announce team hyped Morrison vs. Punk…

Shore’s Slant: A decent TV match from these guys. I would like to see these guys have a PPV match to see what they could really do. The feud has stalled, they need to do something to get the heat back. JR hyped how Truth wrote his own entrance song . All it is is “What’s up?” 27 times. I don’t know if I would claim that. As far as McMahon…that’s two.

[Q3][C]Back from commercial, Michelle McCool and Alicia Fox made their ring entrance. Melina and Gail Kim were out together to Melina’s music…

2. Michelle McCool and Alicia Fox defeated Melina and Gail Kim at 5:12. Melina and Fox started out. Melina worked her over and she tagged in McCool. McCool and Melina locked up. Melina backed McCool into the corner. Melina broke clean, but McCool kicked her in the face, followed by a running knee. Melina over sold the injury and it just got worse from there. Kim got the hot tag at 4:17. She worked over Fox. Fox got a blind tag on McCool. When Kim set up fox for her finisher, McCool scooped her up for the Faith Breaker for the win…

Backstage, Vince and Teddy walked up on CM Punk. They asked him how he had such good luck. Vince asked him if the clean living thing was an act. Punk said no, he got high off of destroying the competition. He said he knew McMahon could relate…The announce team hyped the main event…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Melina was so bad tonight. She screamed and screamed and screamed. Way too much. I can’t believe Alicia Fox and Melina get’s 5:00 and Beth and Mickie James get like 0:21. Just terrible. Vince’s segment this time wasn’t so bad, so we are still at two.

[Q4]The Smack of the Week video was a recap of the Khali/Ziggler feud…The announce team hyped Khali and Ziggler at the Bash…The first edition of Word Up from Cryme Tyme played. The premise is they are going to teach us a slang word. Tonight’s word was “jackin,” which means to steal something from someone. After setting back race relations 50 years, Jesse came up and wrapped about his name….Jeezy. They took his necklace and said he had just been a victim of a…..Eve popped out and said, “Jackin.” The said to join them next week…John Morrison made his ring entrance…[C]

Shore’s Slant: If I was black, I would have just quit this job.

Back from commercial, the Guru of Greatness was still in the ring. Punk made his ring entrance. This ought to be good…

3. John Morrison defeated CM Punk at 16:07. They shook hands to start. Collar and elbow tie up lead to Morrison breaking clean. Another tie up lead to a test of strength, and then a few rounds of mat wrestling.

[Q5]Punk hit a few knees, but Morrison hit a back kick to take control. Morrison whipped Punk hard to the corner and locked in a weird chin lock where he pulled Punks arms back in an X across his own throat. Punk flipped forward to reverse and Morrison stood up and hit a chin breaker. Morrison tried for the Chuck Kick, but Punk ducked and then hit a powerslam. Punk worked strikes on Morrison and then hit his high knee in the corner, followed by the bulldog for two. Punk scooped him for Go To Sleep. Morrison elbowed out, but Punk hit a belly to back with a bridge for two…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Bad weather in my neck of the woods. If I suddenly disappear, you know why.

Back at 9:20, Punk was working on Morrison’s neck. Morrison escaped the hold and ate a clotheline for his efforts. Punk covered for two and locked in another figure four head lock. Morrison escaped and stood on the ring apron. Punk did a sunset flip to the floor and tried to powerbomb Morrison to the floor. Morrison dropped a knee to break the hold. Punk kicked Morrison’s feet out from under him in a stiff looking spot. Morrison kicked Punk and then hit a moonsault from the second rope on the floor.

Morrison rolled Punk back in the ring and continued his assault. He hit several drop kicks and ran in for his knee to a sitting Punk, but Punk grabbed his leg and rolled into a single leg crab. Morrison made it to the ropes and Punk broke at four. Morrison hit the Chuck Kick out of nowhere for two. He went for Starship Pain, but Punk knocked his legs out and hit a back superplex for two. Ouch.

Punk lifted Morrison for GTS. Morrison hit several elbows and slid down into a roll up. At two, Punk rolled through. At two, Morrison kicked out and grabbed Punks arms. He locked him up and the ref counted three. Post match, Morrison and Punk shook hands. Punk pulled Morrison in and hit GTS. He immediately looked upset over doing it. A replay video showed the ending and the post match events…

[Q6]Backstage, Josh Matthews interviewed Jericho. Jericho cut his same awesome promo about being Mysterio’s savior…The announce team hyped the main event…

Shore’s Slant: That was as good as I expected. I like the obvious heel bump for Punk that could be explained away as frustration that got out of hand…or he’s a heel. Well played WWE. Jericho continues to impress. His feud with the Undertaker is going to be completely off the charts.

Back from commercial, the announce team was in the ring and ran down The Bash card…The cage was shown lowering…Backstage, Teddy and Vince came across Jeff Hardy. Vince said he wasn’t going to wish him luck because he didn’t want Hardy to win. He said he didn’t want someone with his checkered history representing Smackdown as champion. Jeff told him to ask the fans who they wanted as champion. He said he didn’t need his luck, he has his own. Jeff walked off and Vince abused Teddy Long…The cage match is next…[C]

[Q7]Back from commercial, Punk made his entrance wearing the zebra stripes. Jeff Hardy made his entrance. Rey Mysterio was out next. Jericho followed him, and Edge rounded out the four…

4. Chris Jericho and Edge defeated Jeff Hardy and Rey Mysterio w/CM Punk as special guest referee in a cage match at 19:52. Edge and Hardy started. Apparently this isn’t Texas Tornado rules as Rey and Jericho stood on the apron. No real action before the break…[C]

Back from commercial, Rey and Edge where in the ring. Rey tried to escape but Edge stopped him. Rey came off the ropes and rolled up Edge for two. He tagged in Hardy. Hardy ran at Edge who tossed him over the ropes into the cage. Edge tagged in Jericho who locked in a rest hold. Jeff fought out and got the hot tag to Mysterio who hit the West Coast Pop and rolled through a sunset flip for two. Rey hit a hurricanranna that put Jericho on his butt in the corner. Mysterio did a baseball slid into Jericho’s nuts.

[Q8]Rey whipped Jericho to the corner. Jericho ran up the turnbuckle and tried to escape. Rey caught him and hit him in the nuts again. Edge came in and picked Mysterio up in an electric chair setup. Hardy came in and made the save, and they rammed Edge’s head into Jericho’s nuts. Rey hit a hurricanranna for two. Rey charged at Jericho and he threw Rey into the cage. Both men recovered into the break…[C]

Back from commercial at 12:02, Jericho was still working on Rey. He tagged in Edge who played to the crowd. Edge set Rey face down on the second rope and choked him, followed by a splash on the back for two. Edge whipped Rey to the corner. Mysterio kicked up and hit another hurricanranna. Edge made a tag and Jericho stopped Rey. Jericho put Rey on the top turnbuckle and tried to take his mask off. Rey fought out, sending Jericho to the floor. Rey jumped off and Jericho hit a drop kick on him in the air.

Rey tried to make a tag, but Jericho held his leg. Rey turned around and hit an isaguri kick on Jericho. Jericho made the tag and Edge got to Rey. He placed him on his shoulder and rammed him into the cage. He went for a second one, and Rey slid down and hit a DDT. Jericho tagged in and slapped Rey and taunted him. He whipped Rey to the ropes and tried to through him into the cage, but Rey caught the cage and tried to escape. Jericho caught him, but Rey kicked him to the mat and followed with a splash.

Double hot tags led to Jeff working on Edge. Edge tried to spear Hardy, but Hardy jumped over him and the spear hit Punk. Jeff hit an immediate Whisper in the Wind and covered. Punk rolled around and counted. Edge kicked out at two and Hardy argued with Punk. Edge came in from behind and Jeff blocked his move and hit a front suplex. Jericho ran in and Hardy kicked him. Mysterio ran at Hardy who held him so Rey could do 619 on Jericho. Edge hit a big boot on Rey. Jeff tried for Twist of Fate, but Edge pushed him off. Jeff stood up facing Punk. He turned around and got speared. Punk counted the win.

Post match, Edge and Jericho celebrated up the ramp. Rey left the ring. Punk got a mic and asked the fans to clap and cheer for Jeff Hardy. He said it exactly 50 percent sincere and 50 percent sarcastic…Backstage, Teddy and Vince talked about the match. Vince told Teddy that when it came to the matches at the Bash, he better act as if his job depended on it…

Shore’s Slant: Really good match. I’m annoyed that Edge’s face hit the cage about seven times and there was no blood, but I understand the PG thing. Add Morrison to this ring and you see why Smackdown in the best wrestling show on TV. Once again, the Smackdown matches at the PPV exceed everything else on paper, and will probably exceed them in the ring. The Punk slow turn is great. Please let Vince stay the hell away form the show. Oh, and for those of you scoring at home, the last Vince segment pissed me off, making a grand total of three. Sorry gts, should have taken the push. Thanks for watching and I’ll see you next week.

Questions? Comments? Anyone, anyone? Let me hear from you. Email me at css3238@gmail.com with whatever is on your mind.

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